Pairing one of today’s most gifted jazz guitarists (Anthony Pirog) with one of rock ‘n’ roll’s fiercest rhythm sections (Brendan Canty and Joe Lally) was always going to be a recipe for success, but on their sophomore LP Anthropocosmic Nest, Washington, D.C.’s The Messthetics are blowing past the old goals and delivering one of the most raucous and satisfying releases of the year. Wildly inventive with surprises awaiting the listener at every turn, Nest is an ecstatic proclamation of skronk-and-circumstance that says not only are The Messthetics BACK, but they’re here to stay!

Over the course of her almost twenty-five-year career, Neko Case has proven time and time again that she is a fierce force of nature to be reckoned with, which makes it a little weird to say that Hell-On is her most powerful work to date. Built on the literal ashes of a recent personal tragedy (her Vermont home/studio burned to the ground) and bursting with love over the joy found in even the darkest parts of our lives, Case's latest is a potent reminder of how deeply honest art can change the world, one listen at a time.

PLUS! Kingsley Flood is back with Neighbors & Strangers, there most poignant LP to date, and we're spinning a new single from it to help you fall in love with this raucous Boston/DC band all over again!